🇬🇧 Letchworth | Howard's Garden City Citywalk Guide - Part 1

As a registered urban planner (who struggled through the Principles of Urban Planning exam—not once but twice 😅) and now a community builder, visiting Letchworth while in the UK was a must. Surprisingly, I found no guides online! So here’s one for fellow enthusiasts. 1️⃣ What is Letchworth? Letchworth is the world’s first Garden City, founded in 1903 by Ebenezer Howard and planned by Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker. It was designed to combine the best of urban and rural living. Since 1963, the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation has managed the town, owning 69% of its commercial properties. Revenue from land value increases is reinvested into the community, promoting social equity and sustainability. 🏡🌳💷 2️⃣ Transportation Take a direct train from London to Letchworth Garden City Station. 🚆 📌 Tip: Book a same-day return ticket via app for better deals. Choose an open return for flexibility. 3️⃣ First Stop: Broadway Gardens From the station, walk 5 mins along Broadway to reach Broadway Gardens. Around this green heart lie key public buildings: the Town Hall, Library, Theatre, Hospital, and the Heritage Foundation Office—my first stop. 🏛️📚🎭 4️⃣ Heritage Foundation & Community Museum The ground floor of the Foundation office is open to the public and currently hosts a community museum exhibition: LGC - Museum One Garden City. The exhibit is simple and heartfelt—community museums worldwide clearly share a universal lack of funding 😅. The space doubles as a children’s activity room, with shared toys for families. Residents are encouraged to participate—e.g., by sharing their stories via cards about why and how they came to Letchworth. 🧒✍️ 5️⃣ Co-Creating the Exhibition The museum emphasizes collective storytelling. Rather than a top-down narrative, it invites residents to contribute objects and memories, building a "living collection" of Letchworth’s history over a two-year project. Visitors can read a detailed A4 report outlining the project’s vision, methodology, and research data—a transparent and participatory approach worth learning from! 📄✨ 6️⃣ Community Stories The exhibition already features diverse voices: a young migrant who settled here after finding work, Hong Kong immigrants tracing the history of silk-stocking milk tea vs. British tea culture, an Indian artisan handcrafting baking trays adopted by the community… and the collection is still growing! 🌍❤️ (To be continued…) #Letchworth #GardenCity #CommunityMuseum #UrbanPlanning #CommunityBuilding #UKTravel #HiddenGems